The architects and residents of these five homes had the challenge of creating a champagne house on a beer budget. By getting creative with financing, searching for contractors who were willing to experiment, and shopping wisely, they accomplished the feat elegantly.

If the idea of a sleeper sofa—creaky box springs and a bad mattress—gives you nightmares, consider a convertible couch. Fold out, flip forward, or simply remove the pillows. We’ve pulled together 11 ingenious options that will compel you to put away that half-working inflatable mattress for good.

Copenhagen-based designer Kristina Dam experiments with an architectural toolkit in her work—perspective, geometric forms, and line. Her imaginative illustrations take on the look of buildings, but morph into mesmerizing compositions of patterns and shapes.